A group within the African Democratic Congress has rejected the appointment of former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s interim national secretary, describing the move as unconstitutional and lacking legitimacy.

The group, which identifies as “Concerned Stakeholders of the ADC,” includes youth and women leaders, state executives, and ward coordinators.

It made its position known in a statement on Tuesday, signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Musa Isa Matara.

The statement, titled “ADC is not a one-man project: A response to Rauf Aregbesola’s acceptance speech”, also dismissed the claim that the ADC has become the adopted platform for a national opposition coalition, calling such declarations “misleading.”

“While we appreciate the enthusiasm with which Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has delivered his acceptance speech as Interim National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, we must urgently and firmly reject the premise and process behind this appointment — an appointment that lacks due process, transparency, and the broad-based legitimacy expected in a democratic political party.

“We are not opposed to coalitions. We are not opposed to reform. But we are opposed to hijack, to imposition, and to speeches that sound revolutionary but hide elitist intentions beneath poetic language,” the statement read.

The PUNCH reports on Tuesday that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and other opposition figures are backing ADC as a coalition movement political platform aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the next election.

As part of the arrangement, former Senate President David Mark and Aregbesola were named as Interim National Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the yet-to-be-unveiled ADC-led coalition platform.

Matara, on behalf of the group, maintained that only a properly convened and constitutionally recognised ADC National Convention or NEC has the authority to approve leadership changes, stressing that no individual currently holds the moral or legal mandate to represent the party at the national level.

The stakeholders further alleged that the appointment of Aregbesola as Interim National Secretary was done without any consultation with the party’s NEC, state chairmen, youth leaders, or elected national officers.

“We warn those coming into the ADC as part of this imposed arrangement to tread carefully. Be mindful that some few individuals are attempting to sell out the soul of our party for personal gain.

“The ADC is not for sale. It belongs to its members, not political merchants or elite dealmakers,” the statement added.

Matara stated that the party’s National Executive Committee or National Convention did not approve the recent appointments, declaring them null and void.

The statement added, “The claim that the ADC has become the ‘platform of the National Opposition Coalition Group’ is misleading.

“Our millions of members have not been informed or carried along in this so-called coalition.

“These matters remain in court and unresolved. Any coalition attempt built on such shaky legal ground is irresponsible and potentially self-destructive.”